Chapter 2: Day 1.1

Sakura's alarm clock jangled on her nightstand but her screaming drowned it out. Her mother and father rushed in. The pink-haired girl kept screaming and wouldn't stop, even when her mother tried slapping her in the face. The screams dissolved into wails, the wails into sobbing. Tears streamed out of Sakura's eyes as she sobbed uncontrollably. Their daughter was babbling through her sobs but it took them quite some time to make anything out of what she was saying. Eventually they picked out, "Kakashi-sensei", "Sasuke", and "Naruto".

Frightened and concerned, Sakura's father threw on some clothes and took off into the street to find the three ninja. Naruto and Sasuke had been easy to find. It was early in the morning and they were both still at home. He asked them if they'd please go to his house and visit Sakura, something was terribly wrong. Naruto bounded off without another word but Sasuke could see the concern on the man's face and wanted more information first. Kakashi was not at home but after much searching, the panicking father found the jonin at the memorial stone.

Naruto and Sasuke weren't exactly sure what to do. Sakura was hugging her knees, rocking back and forth on her bed. Her mother rubbed her back, making a soothing 'shh' noise as she did so. Sakura didn't seem to notice however. Her eyes were red and swollen but tears continued to leak out of them, staining her cheeks. Her hands trembled if they were pulled away from her knees so they just left her alone.

When Kakashi walked into the room Sakura looked up suddenly, her bloodshot eyes wide. "Sakura," Kakashi said, quickly crossing the room to where she sat on her bed. He didn't quite make it, however. Sakura stood up very suddenly, launching herself at the jonin and hugging him tightly. She buried her face in the shoulder pad of his vest and began to cry anew.

Kakashi froze for a second in surprise and then he visibly forced himself to relax, slowly putting his arms around the sobbing girl. He started guiding her back to the bed, she wouldn't let go of him, and when she stumbled he simply picked her up and carried her the rest of the way. He set her down and again tried to gently pry her from his person. She still refused to let go. He worried that he'd hurt her if he tried forcing it any more so he gave up and held her while she cried. Sakura's mother had stood to give Kakashi sitting room on the bed and joined her husband in the doorway.

Eventually Sakura's sobs quieted once more and she started muttering something. Kakashi could just make out, "you're alive, you're alive, you're alive."

Kakashi's eyebrows furrowed. He looked at Sakura's parents. "What exactly happened?"

"We don't know," Sakura's mother said. "We were getting ready this morning and we just heard her screaming in her room. She was saying something but all we could make out was your name and that of her teammates. We thought maybe she'd just had a nightmare but she won't calm down."

Kakashi nodded and looked at his worried student. She was shaking just the tiniest bit. The swollenness of her eyes made her look like a raccoon. "Could you get her a glass of water?" Kakashi asked, unsure of what else to do. Her mother nodded and hurried away. She seemed to be back in seconds with a full glass of water in her hand. Kakashi motioned with his head that Sasuke should take it.

The boy did and he said, holding it out to the girl, "Sakura? Sakura you need to drink something."

Sakura tore her eyes away from Kakashi and looked at Sasuke, then at the glass in his nervous hand. Sakura had never fallen apart like this in battle and it scared Sasuke a little to see her like this. Sakura nodded slowly, sniffing, and took the glass with one hand, the other was still tightly grasping Kakashi's vest. The glass shook in her trembling fingers and Kakashi helped her guide it to her mouth. She took a few sips at first then, realizing how dehydrated she was, she continued with generous gulps. When the glass was empty, Kakashi took it from her and handed it back to Sasuke.

Sakura, apparently exhausted from drinking the water, slumped into Kakashi's shoulder again, weeping quietly. A moment later she said very softly only to him, "sensei, I'm going to be sick."

"Naruto," Kakashi said urgently, "bucket, now."

Naruto looked around quickly, grabbed the waste basket under Sakura's desk, and handed it to Kakashi. Thankfully it had a plastic liner in it. Kakashi handed the basket to Sakura just in time. She took it and he quickly pulled her hair out of the way as she began to retch. All the water she drank reappeared and then Sakura dry-heaved for a few tense seconds. Kakashi looked up at Sakura's stricken parents. "We're going to the hospital, now." Kakashi stood cradling Sakura, trash basket and all, in his arms.

Sakura's parents nodded mutely and followed Team Seven to the ninja hospital. Kakashi finally got his student to let go of him so she could lie in a hospital bed. He was still right by her side though. "Sakura," Kakashi said, "they're going to give you an IV to can get some fluid back into you and something to help you sleep. We'll be right here so don't worry."

Sakura nodded mutely. The longer the boys were with her the more she started to think, maybe it was just a dream. But it was so real. As Sakura drifted off, an ANBU teleported into the room and began speaking with Kakashi. Kakashi started and then looked at Sakura as her vision blurred and she drifted away.